The Russian security services have released footage showing detained Colombian nationals suspected of mercenary activity and taking part in hostilities against the Russian military as part of Ukraine’s armed forces. This information is reported by RIA Novosti, a state-backed news outlet.
Earlier updates from the Federal Security Service noted the detention of Colombian citizens named Jose Aron Medina Aranda and Angel Ante Alexander, who are suspected of engaging in combat on the side of Ukraine’s armed forces.
In the published video, the detainees are escorted into a room by agents and each provides his name, stating that he is fighting with the Carpathian Sich unit. The segment includes documents that appear to confirm their status as military personnel in Colombia, alongside materials issued by Ukrainian authorities. Viewers can also observe various insignia, Ukrainian military uniforms, and photographs related to the Colombians.
Reports from August 1 describe a Ukrainian prisoner of war claiming that the mercenaries left Ukrainian fighters without food or water for ten days before capture.
On June 8, another prisoner of war, Angel Cardenas Montilla, said he had come to Ukraine to guard facilities but found himself on the front lines instead. These statements have been carried by multiple outlets citing involvement in the conflict and subsequent capture.
There have been past calls to restrict the use of mercenaries by Ukrainian forces in prisoner exchanges, with recent discussions highlighting the humanitarian and legal ramifications of foreign combatants in the conflict. The ongoing reporting from multiple channels continues to document the participation of foreign nationals in hostilities and the complexities surrounding their treatment under international law, including how they are accounted for in exchanges and repatriation discussions. (attribution: RIA Novosti, FSB disclosures, and corroborating media reports)